Man and dog rescued from pond in Gulfport

A man and his pup are lucky to be alive after being rescued in a pond last night after their truck veered off the road.

The Harrison County first responders were called out to County Farm Road moments after reports of a truck submerged in a pond. A passerby called 911 shortly before 9:30 on Tuesday.

Two Harrison County sheriff’s deputies in the area were the first to the scene. The Harrison County Fire Department arrived shortly after. That quick response likely saved one local man’s life. Harrison County Fire Chief Pat Sullivan said, “They immediately took the gun belt off, jumped in the water, and went in to try and save the person that was inside.”

The deputies were able to pull a man and his dog from the mostly submerged truck. The man and his dog avoided serious injury. However the driver was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

Chief Sullivan was more than pleased with the response to the accident, citing how well the department prepares for all incidents, not just fires. “This incident last night is why we train for multiple types of emergencies, not just fires, not just heart attacks. We have divers. We have rescue personnel that are trained for this very thing.”

Mississippi is home to several two lane highways, increasing your chances of an accident occurring when weather worsens. “Unfortunately, I’ve seen numerous times where people drive as if it’s sunny and bright and there’s no weather factor involved.”

Chief Sullivan can’t help but stress the importance of safe driving in hazardous conditions.